Historical tourism 'explodes' in Dien Bien Phu

People and tourists visit and admire the panorama of the Dien Bien Phu battle at the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum on the afternoon of April 11.

Never before have so many groups of tourists come to Dien Bien Phu as on this 70th anniversary of the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory. Every day, thousands of people flock to the site. The tourist attractions are operating at full capacity.

Historical tourism "explodes" in Dien Bien Phu

Tourists flock to the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum to admire the panoramic painting "Dien Bien Phu Campaign". This is the first and only panoramic painting in Vietnam, the largest in Southeast Asia and one of three large circular paintings in the world.

Traveling nearly 600km from Hai Phong to Dien Bien, the first destination chosen by Mr. Vu Duc Thuan (77 years old) and the group of elderly veterans was the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum.

Adjusting his lapel and re-pinning his medals on his chest before entering the gallery, this was the first time the old soldier had seen the whole picture of the campaign.

Scenes of marching through the pass, fighting in the trenches, falling bombs, and soldiers fighting hand-to-hand... make veterans remember the arduous days of fighting, and those who died for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland.

Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum is a place that attracts a lot of people and tourists to visit. Everyone is eagerly waiting for the presentation of Dien Bien Phu campaign through this special painting.

As a later generation who participated in the resistance war against the US to save the country, Mr. Thuan said he was very grateful and appreciative of the great contributions of previous generations who made great history. Despite being wounded by the war, he and his comrades still tried to come to Dien Bien on this special occasion.

"Today, we are lucky to be here, standing on this land. I am both honored and proud because I am also a soldier, who fought to protect the independence of the Fatherland" - he confided.

Booking a flight earlier than planned, Ms. Nguyen Thi Cam Nhung (60 years old, Thu Duc district, Ho Chi Minh City) shared that she wanted to go to Dien Bien with her husband to enjoy the atmosphere of the exciting, heroic days of their ancestors 70 years ago.

Standing still in front of the giant painting, recreating the battle scene as if it were happening right before her eyes, Ms. Nhung confided: "The more I look at it, the more I love our soldiers. Our country is peaceful and independent today thanks to the great sacrifices and contributions of previous generations. I am very grateful and proud."

The areas displaying artifacts and reenacting the Dien Bien Phu campaign also attract a lot of tourists.

Although it was nearly 5 p.m., the number of people and tourists flocking to relics such as A1 hill was still very crowded.

2,000 more places to stay from private homes

Due to the large number of visitors, many hotels and motels in Dien Bien Phu City only have single rooms left. Large groups of visitors this time have difficulty booking hotel rooms because most of them are sold out.

Currently, Dien Bien authorities have mobilized more than 100 eligible households to register for accommodation services, adding nearly 2,000 more accommodations.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Chuyen - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dien Bien province - said that the province has established an interdisciplinary inspection team to inspect all accommodation establishments in the whole province. "The results did not detect any cases of taking advantage of the large number of guests to increase the listed price," she said.

Ms. Chuyen said that the number of tourists coming to Dien Bien this time has increased dramatically, but there are two main streams. First of all, there are delegations from central ministries, branches, and other provinces visiting Dien Bien. The provincial People's Committee has booked large hotels and qualified accommodation facilities.

The second group of visitors are visiting groups of veterans from other communes and localities across the country, some groups have up to hundreds of people. Most of these groups will negotiate prices with accommodation establishments.

"In the near future, we will mobilize more households around Dien Bien Phu city to provide accommodation services, and there will be more than 2,000 more places to stay," said Ms. Chuyen.

Some images of tourists flocking to Dien Bien that Tuoi Tre Online recorded on April 11:

People and tourists visit the historical A1 hill relic

The historical site of De Castries' tunnel is also a place that attracts many tourists.

On this occasion, many groups of veterans and military units from all over flocked to Dien Bien Phu cemetery to burn incense for the martyrs who heroically sacrificed their lives.

Photo: NAM TRAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/du-lich-lich-su-bung-no-o-dien-bien-phu-20240411191543971.htm